Toe shield



March 18, 1952 w, w, E 2,589,791

- TOE SHIELD Filed March 2, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET l INVENTOR.

WILLARD W. FINE ATTORNEY W. W. FINE March 18, 1952 TOE SHIELD 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed March 2, 1950 ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 18, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOE SHIELD Willard W. Fine, Columbus, Ohio Application March 2, 1950, Serial No.147,307

1 Claim. 1

The present invention relates generally to a toe shield for the correction of foot deformities and the protection of painful affected areas presented by bunions and the like. The invention relates specifically to a novel removable toe shield which provides a minimum of unsightly discontinuities, is particularly suitable for marketing at very reasonable cost to the public, and may be readily removed and replaced by the user or patient. The invention is of particular utility in the treatment of bunions, generally manifested along the medial aspect or dorsal surface of what is popularly referred to as the big toe, whether the bunion is of ordinary character or is superimposed upon hallux valgus, or adduction, with an exostosis, the terminology employed being that of Philip Lewis, "The Foot and Ankle, pp. 188, 189, Lea and Febinger, Philadelphia, 1941.

The invention is also of particular utility in treating similar conditions involving enlargement of the interphalangeal joints or lesser toes. While the specific embodiment of the invention herein shown is of primary utility for correcting or protecting afiected areas involving enlargement of the joints of the great toe, it will be understood that the invention is of utility also in correcting or protecting similar conditions affecting other toes.

The invention is also of utility in the treatment of corns and the like and in the protection of the painful affected areas incident thereto.

The prior art generally is directed to the permanent placement of a shield in proximity to the affected part. The prior art in this field generally contemplates that corrective or protective shields be, in common parlance, tailor made. In other words, the typical prior art shield is limited to the needs of a particular individual and is built up on a cast of his foot. The manu- Iaoture of the individual shield is usually done in a; job shop laboratory and the' cast is prepared by an expert in the art of treating, curing and preventing such conditions as bunions or the like, that is, by a chiropodist or physician. The bunion pad illustrated in United States Patent 2,134,831 to Moon is typical of the usual prior art device. Such device is made up of a plurality of coatings of liquid rubber or latex which are applied to the affected parts to build up layers of material. Such device includes a circular resilient pad of sponge rubber or the like which is interspersed between the layers of the coating in order to provide protection for the afiected area.

Another typical tailor-made shield of this type is shown in U. S. Patent 2,292,144 to Meldman. Prior art shields of this character are intended to serve as a seal for the affected parts, to be destroyed when removed, and to be applied to the affected parts in the actual presence of a physician or chiropodist.

The present invention begins with the concept that it is desirable to provide a toe shield which can be fabricated for the mass market. It is also desirable to provide a toe shield which can be readily removed, washed and replaced, the services of the patient or user being enlisted as an aid to perform the functions of washing and replacement and thereby to dispense with 1111-- necessary demands on they time of the physician or chiropodist. Since many deformities and all-- ments of the foot follow typical predetermined patterns, it is desirable to fabricate toe shields on a mass basis and in a number of types and models, particularly suitable for commonly occurring conditions and foot sizes, so that they may be readily available on prescription of the physician or chiropodist without the necessity of making up special casts. It is further desirable to provide a standardized selection of readily made shields which may be rapidly fitted and adjusted to the foot in order that a proper prescription may rapidly and easily be made. It is the fundamental object of the present invention to provide a toe shield which satisfies these requirements, thus saving time and expanse to the medical profession, the patient and the public.

Another fundamental object of the present invention is to provide a toe shield in which the cushioning elements are so constructed and arranged as to present a minimum of discontinuities to the shoe, this object being based on a realization that the placement of the foot in ashoe can cause painful suifering to the patient when shoe-engaging discontinuities exist.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a toe shield which follows the contours of the foot as closely as practicable, under the adverse circumstances presented by a deformity, thereby minimizing discomfiture and pain.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shield having such construction that the passage of air to and the circulation about the affected areas of the toe are not unnecessarily impeded.

' Another object of the invention is to provide a device which satisfies the abovementioned requirements and at the same time is made of material which does not chafe or bind or otherwise irritate the toe and other parts of the foot.

A further object of the invention is to provide a readily applied and removable toe shield which .3, does not require heavy and uncomfortable accessories for securing it to the foot.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a toe shield of a sanitary durable character which effectively removes the pressure from susceptible areas and prevents the formation of corns or bunions and which also functions efi'ectively to remove the pressure from bunions.

For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further objects, capabilities and advantages thereof, reference is made to the following description of the accompanying drawings in which there is disclosed an illustrative embodiment of my toe shield in accordance with the present invention.

In the drawings:

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are views, showing my toe shield in place, as taken from points of observation at the top, left side and bottom of the foot, respectively, the Fig. 1 point of view being dorsal and the Fig. 3 point of view being plantar; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the Fig. 1 toe shield as removed from the foot; Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view greatly-enlarged, taken generally along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and Fig. 6 is a crosssectional view of the toe encircling band, taken along the sectional line 6-6 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

In accordance with the invention there is provided:

A removable and replaceable device for the correction of bunions and other foot deformities comprising a body member 10 made of thin, soft, pliable, elastic material which is adapted to be disposed'adjacent the affected part, said body member being formed with an integral toe-encircling band i l for positioning the body member against the first metatarsal joint to provide protection for said joint, said body member comprising at least two layers 12, I3 of material secured together, and a pair of symmetrically disposed semi-lunar-shaped protective cushions l4, l5 of sponge rubber interspersed between said layers and placed with their concave edges l5, H facing each other-to define a protected area 18 for thebunionQeach of said cushions being relatively thin at its outer margins H3, 20, remote from said protected area and progressively increasing in thickness with proximity to said protected .area, whereby said body member and said cushions present an exterior surface which substantially follows the natural contour of the foot 21 rising gradually as the protected area is approached and presenting a discontinuity only in that area.

It is intended that shields in accordance with the invention be offered to the public through drug stores and the like in a number of standard sizes,- such as twenty, for example. As indicated above, many of the common deformities of the,

foot follow fairly standardized patterns. A typical case would be selected as the basis for the fabrication of the prototype of each standard model. For example, a positive cast, simulating the foot 2|, would be prepared by a chiropodist or physician for an actual typical case, and the first prototype would be built up on that cast. Thereafter, the standard item in accordance with this prototype would be built on a mass basis through the use of standard coating, drying, cutting and dipping procedures, jigs and fixtures well known to those familiar with the manufacture of prosthetic devices and the like.

.ILThe illustrative embodiment herein shown is .the same foot.

a minimum of bulk and may be very light inparticularly suitable for the protection and treatment of the great toe. It comprises a generally ovular shaped body member l0 made up of a succession of layers, I2, 3, of a soft pliable elastic material such as soft rubber, latex, or the like, the layers being firmly bonded together as by drying operations or similar expedients. The main portion of the body member lies adjacent the surface of the foot in the region behind the toe, closely conforming thereto and thereby presenting a minimum of discontinuities while affording general protection to the area. Integral with the body member is a band for encircling the great toe to provide security for and adjustment of the shield, this band being indicated by the reference numeral H. Interspersed between the successive layers of the latex is a pair of cushions l4 and I5, encased Within the layers. These cushions are preferably made of a resilient yielding material such as sponge rubber or the like. They are semilunar in shape, relatively thick in cross section at their portions I9, 21!, remote from the affected area but progressively increasing in thickness as the affected area is approached, and then being so beveled'in proximity to the affected areas as to present a pair of crescent-like diagonally extending surfaces, the inner edges l3 and ll of which define a generally circular protected area 18 for the affected part. An advantage of this construction is that the placement of the foot in a shoe is considerably facilitated and pain and discomfiture are minimized. An additional advantage resides in the fact that the maximum resistance and cushioning effect are exerted, the greater the proximity of shoe pressure to the affected area. Still another advantage accrues from the fact that the affected area is not entirely encased by the cushions l4, !5, there being passages 22 and 23 left between the openings and symmetrically arranged semilunar cushions. The objects of the invention are further served by the encircling band H which does not encapulate the toe.v It will be understood that similar shields can be prepared for each of the toes and theta plus rality of such shields may be simultaneously worn without discomfort on different toes 'of The improved shield possesses weight. It presents a minimum of discontinuities and is of such simple construction as to be readily manufacturable in standard models. Retention in place is insured by the integralband l which also provides for some adjustment without the use of adhesives, cumbersome straps, toeencapulating covers or the like.

Having fully disclosed and described my invention, I claim:

A removable and replaceable device for the correction of bunions and other foot deformities, comprising a body member made of thin, soft, pliable, elastic material which is adapted to be disposed adjacent the affected part, said body member being formed with an integral toeencircling band for positioning the body member against the first metatarsal joint to provide. protection for said joint, said body member comprising' inner and outer layers of materialfsecured together, and a pair of symmetrically disposed protective cushions of sponge rubber having semilunar top and bottom areas of curved crosssection positioned between said layers, each of said cushions terminating at one end in a concave crescent-shaped edge extending in a smooth curve completely across said end of said cushion,

5 said cushions being positioned with their concave REFERENCES CITED edges facmg h other to define Protected The following references are of record in the area for the bumon, each of said concave edges me of this patent: and said outer layer of material sloping outwardly away from said protected area at an acute angle 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS thereto, each of said cushions being relatively Number Name Date thin at its outer lateral margins and also at its 1,436,439 Eichhorn Nov. 21, 1922 outer margin remote from said protected area, 2,292,144 Meldman Aug. 4, 1942 whereby said body member and said cushions pre- 2,332,473 Salander Oct. 19, 1943 sent an exterior surface which substantially fol- 10 lows the natural=contour of the foot, rising gradually as the protected area is approached and presenting a discontinuity only in that area.

WILLARD W. FINE. 

